elf, but that the lady Heddana should be
butchered who was more to me than a hundred lives, and through my
treachery--ah! for that I cared.

"I called on my Spirit to help me, but it would not come. My
Spirit was dead in me because now I would do good and not ill.
Yet another Spirit came, that of one Mameena whom once you knew.
She came angrily, like a storm, and I shrank before her. She
said, 'Vile witch, you have plotted to murder Macumazahn, and for
that you shall answer to me before another sun has set over this
earth of yours. Now you seek a way of escape from your own
wickedness. Well, it can be had, but at a price.'

"'What price, O Lady of Death?' I asked.

"'The price of your own life, Witch.'

"I laughed into that ghost face of hers and said--

"'Is this all? Be swift and show me the way, O Lady of Death,
and afterwards we will balance our account.'

"Then she whispered into the ear of my heart and was gone. I ran
on, for the dawn was near. I whitened myself with lime, I put on
the glittering cloak and powdered my hair with the sparkling
earth. I took a little stick in my hand since I could find no
spear and had no time to search, and just as day began to break,
I crept out and stood in the bend of the path. The slayers came,
twelve or so of them, but behind were many more. They saw the
Inkosazana-y-Zulu barring their way and were much afraid. They
fled, but out of his fright one of them threw a spear which went
home, as I knew it would. He watched to see if I should fall,
but I would not fall. Then he fled faster than the rest, knowing
himself accursed who had lifted steel against the Queen of
Heaven, and oh! I am glad, I am glad!"

She ceased, exhausted, yet with a great exultation in her
beautiful eyes; indeed at that moment she looked a most
triumphant creature. I stared at her, thrilled through and
through. She had been wicked, no doubt, but how splendid was her
end; and, thank Heaven! she was troubled with no thought of what
might befall her after that end, although I was sure she believed
that she would live again to face Mameena.

I knew not what to do. I did not like to leave her, especially
as no earthly power could help her case, since slowly but quite
surely she was bleeding to death from an internal wound. By now
the sun was up and Zikali's people were about. One of them
appeared suddenly and saw, then with a howl of terror turned to
fly away.

"Fool! Fool!" I crie